The Food Philosopher

FEATURED TOPIC

Cooking Deliberately

THE BEGINNING OF EVERY YEAR SEEMS TO START THE SAME WAY.
We are bombarded with messages about health, diet, and nutrition—do this, buy that, stay away from those. And it is everywhere—newspapers, magazines, books, TV shows, and even amongst friends and family. January's message seems to be “Low carb is so last year”. Now bookstores are overflowing with good carb cookbooks and self–help books that shout, “Buy this and eat yourself thin with complex carbs.” Just last month the message was “Don't be stuck in the kitchen during the holidays.... Be out with your family having fun. Why cook when you can buy?” The only thing these messages have in common is consumption— consumption of our dollars for their products of hope.

It is all enough to make your head spin and your stomach ache. The only thing certain from all these messages is our confusion. We are a country in a gastronomical dichotomy. Americans say family values are important, but the number of family meals eaten together has decreased steadily over the years. Americans love home–cooked food, yet there are too many of us under the age of 50 who never learned to cook. Many people say they are too busy to cook (the average time spent preparing dinner will soon be down to 15 minutes per meal, from its current 20), but the average American watches four hours of television per day. Americans say health is a priority, but we have never been fatter.

The problem is that food has lost its importance in our day–to–day life. Food is everywhere and affordable. We can supersize, eat in, eat out, or reheat. Like children with too many toys, we no longer value food because the next meal is just around the corner waiting to be bought. The easier food becomes, the more we tend to eat.

The solution is to cook deliberately. If your goal is to be healthy, you must first learn how to cook fresh, whole foods. There is no other way. Cooking gives you control and responsibility over what you eat. It empowers you. Meals become important because you made an effort. The work of planning and preparing a meal results in pleasure. Sure, you will have failures along the way, but that is all part of the fun of the learning process. Additionally, your home–cooked meals are more satisfying, comforting, and better for you than most restaurant food.

How do we know this is true? Over the holidays, a friend called to say his wife was stranded in Ohio because of a snowstorm, and he wanted to cook Christmas Eve dinner for his boys. He asked how to prepare potatoes and asparagus to go with a grilled beef tenderloin. He insisted he hated to cook and didn't know how, except for grilling meat. We gave him instructions and away he went. Over dessert the next day, he told us that his dinner the night before had been successful. He admitted that he enjoyed the experience and felt a great sense of satisfaction. He deliberately cooked a meal for his family, and all was good.

The easiest way to learn to cook is to start cooking. Buy a basic cookbook, take a cooking class, and ask a friend or family member for help. Then plan a meal and shop for fresh, high quality ingredients. Start with simple preparations—sauté chicken, grill meat, roast fish, and toss a fresh salad. Invite friends and family to share a meal. The possibilities are limitless. The enjoyment is priceless.